RentalBux vs. Starling
Which MTD Software Is Better for UK Landlords and Sole Traders?
Overall Winner: RentalBux
RentalBux is the more complete MTD software for landlords and sole traders. It combines full Making Tax Digital compliance across UK property income, foreign property income, and self-employment income with comprehensive property management, automated bookkeeping, AI-driven expense categorisation, joint ownership profit-splitting, and a free plan for single-property landlords until March 2028 — all within a dedicated landlord and accounting platform that requires no banking relationship to access. Starling Bank's free Starling Accounting (Essentials) is a genuinely compelling in-bank MTD tool — powered by technology from Ember, the tax-accounting platform Starling acquired in 2024 — with a running tax estimate, automatic categorisation, free invoicing, and quarterly HMRC submissions built directly into the banking app at zero additional cost. For straightforward sole traders and landlords already banking with Starling, it is an exceptional free option. For landlords managing portfolios with any complexity, however, it carries the same structural limitations as all in-bank MTD tools: no property management, no landlord-specific accounting structure, and an access model tied to holding a Starling business account.
At-a-Glance MTD Software Comparison
Key differences between RentalBux and Starling across MTD compliance, property management, bookkeeping, pricing, and landlord-specific features.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Software Type | Property/Landlord Platform | Business Bank Account with Built-In Accounting & MTD Tool |
| Target Users | Landlords, Sole Traders, Letting Agents | Sole Traders, Landlords, Small Businesses |
| Income Sources Supported | Sole Trader + UK Property + Foreign Property | Sole Trader + UK Property + Property Income |
| Free MTD Software Plan | Free until March 2028 (1 property) | Free (Accounting Essentials — requires Starling business account) |
| MTD Quarterly Updates to HMRC | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Partial |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Creation | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR) | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | Yes |
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | No |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Joint Ownership & Profit Sharing | Yes | No |
| Payroll | No | No |
| HMO Unit-Level Tracking | Yes | No |
| HMRC SA105 Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | No |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Web |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
What Is RentalBux? What Is Starling Bank?
What Is RentalBux?
All-in-One MTD Software for Landlords and Sole Traders
RentalBux is an all-in-one property management, accounting, and Making Tax Digital compliance platform built specifically for UK landlords, letting agents, and self-employed individuals. Designed with direct input from accountants who specialise in property and sole trader tax, RentalBux covers everything from tenancy management and rent collection to full bookkeeping with a pre-configured chart of accounts tailored to the property sector.
RentalBux is fully HMRC-recognised for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax across all three qualifying income categories: UK property income, foreign property income, and self-employment. This makes it one of the only landlord-specific MTD software platforms that can handle a landlord who also runs a sole trader business, all from a single subscription.
A major differentiator is RentalBux's pricing model: single-property landlords can use the platform completely free until March 2028, making it one of the most affordable HMRC-approved MTD software options for landlords entering the MTD regime.
What Is Starling?
Starling Bank is one of the UK's most established and most awarded digital banks — named Best British Bank at the British Bank Awards five years running, profitable since 2021, and serving over 500,000 business customers. In 2024, Starling acquired Ember, a specialist tax-accounting software platform, and integrated Ember's technology directly into its banking app as Starling Accounting, replacing the previous Business Toolkit.
Starling Accounting is offered in two tiers: Accounting Essentials (free, included with every Starling business and sole trader account) and Accounting Plus (£7/month until April 2027, then £14/month — for VAT-registered businesses). Essentials includes HMRC-recognised MTD for Income Tax compliance — quarterly updates and the final declaration submitted directly from the banking app — alongside automatic transaction categorisation, automated running tax estimates, tax deduction and disallowable expense calculations, free unlimited invoicing with payment matching, receipt capture, financial reports (P&L, balance sheet, aged debtors/creditors), MTD deadline alerts and checklists, and the Spaces feature for setting aside money for tax.
Strengths
- Free MTD software for single-property landlords until March 2028
- Handles sole trader + UK property + foreign property income in one platform
- Joint ownership with automatic profit-sharing split by ownership percentage
- Pre-built chart of accounts tailored for landlords and sole traders
- AI-powered expense auto-categorisation and OCR receipt capture
- Agent filing on behalf of landlords — ideal for accountants and letting agents
- Supports HMO properties with auto-created units
Strengths
- HMRC-recognised MTD tool — free (Essentials) with every Starling business account
- Built on Ember's proprietary accounting engine — a purpose-built tax technology acquisition
- Free unlimited invoicing with auto payment matching (included in Essentials)
- Running tax estimate with automatic tax deduction and disallowable expense calculations
- Spaces: set aside money for tax, payroll, or business expenses in named sub-accounts
- Automatic transaction categorisation with rules for consistency
- Financial reports: P&L, balance sheet, aged debtors and creditors
- Free accounting integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent via Marketplace
- AI-powered Spending Intelligence — natural language spending analysis
- MTD deadline alerts, checklists, and tax timeline in-app
- Named Best British Bank five consecutive years (British Bank Awards)
- FSCS protection up to £120,000
- 24/7 in-app and phone customer support — on the free account
Limitations
- Newer to market compared to established platforms
- No yield or LTV investment analysis tools
- No MTD for VAT support yet
- Some advanced reporting features still in development
- Limited third-party app integrations
- No offline capability
- No tax liability forecasting feature currently
Limitations
- Requires a Starling business or sole trader account — not available standalone
- No property portfolio management, tenancy tracking, or rent collection features
- No landlord-specific chart of accounts, journal entries, or double-entry bookkeeping
- No automated joint ownership profit-splitting
- Foreign property income not explicitly confirmed in the Starling Accounting documentation
- General partnerships cannot open a Starling business account
- No AI-powered OCR receipt extraction — receipts attached manually
- Accounting Plus (VAT returns) rises from £7/month to £14/month from April 2027
- Multi-user access limited compared to some competitors
- Online-only bank — no branches
- Property income accounting may require workarounds for complex multi-property portfolios
- No formal chart of accounts or journal entries for structured property accounting
- New customers currently cannot apply for EUR or USD currency accounts
Making Tax Digital Compliance
How RentalBux Handles MTD Compliance
RentalBux supports all three MTD qualifying income categories: sole trader income, UK property income, and foreign property income. This makes it suitable for landlords who also earn self-employment income, eliminating the need for separate software. Most accounts are pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes. RentalBux also supports agent filing, allowing accountants or letting agents to submit MTD returns on behalf of their landlord clients.
How Starling Accounting Handles MTD Compliance
Starling Accounting (Essentials) is fully HMRC-recognised for MTD ITSA. Sole traders and landlords can submit quarterly updates and the final declaration in one click directly from their Starling account. The tool automatically tallies income, expenses, and estimated tax owed as transactions flow through the account. Tax deductions and disallowable expenses are automatically calculated to give a continuously up-to-date picture of tax liability.
A standout feature is the running real-time tax estimate: as income and expenses are categorised, Starling calculates how much tax is likely owed at any given moment throughout the year. MTD deadline alerts, checklists, and a tax timeline within the app ensure landlords are reminded of upcoming quarterly filing dates. The final year-end declaration is submitted via a bulk review and one-click submission.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| HMRC Recognised (MTD ITSA) | Yes | Yes |
| MTD Quarterly Updates | Yes | Yes |
| Final Declaration | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Keeping | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Links Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Sole Trader Income | Yes | Yes |
| UK Property Income | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign Property Income | Yes | Not explicitly confirmed |
| Multiple Income Streams | Yes | Partial |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux on coverage depth; Starling on real-time tax intelligence — Both platforms are HMRC-recognised. RentalBux confirms all three income categories and provides structured property accounting. Starling's automatic running tax estimate and pre-calculated deductions give it a real-time compliance intelligence edge that RentalBux does not currently match.
Property Management
RentalBux: Property Management
RentalBux provides comprehensive property portfolio management with tenant management, rent tracking, property expense allocation, and support for multiple properties. A standout feature is its joint ownership and profit-sharing capability: landlords can define ownership percentages once, and RentalBux automatically splits rental income and expenses. RentalBux also supports HMO properties, automatically creating individual units.
Starling Accounting: No Property Management Features
Starling Accounting has no property portfolio management, tenant management, rent tracking, compliance document alerts, or HMO support. These are an integrated banking and accounting tool, not a landlord management system. Landlords must manage all property administration entirely outside the app. Starling does not offer automated joint ownership profit-splitting; landlords with jointly owned properties must manually record only their individual share of income and expenses.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Property Portfolio Management | Yes | No |
| Tenant Management | Yes | No |
| Rent Tracking | Yes | No |
| Property Expense Allocation | Yes | No |
| Multiple Property Support | Yes | No |
| HMO Property Support | Yes (auto-creates units) | No |
| Joint Ownership/Profit Sharing | Yes (auto-split by %) | No |
| Maintenance Tracking | No | No |
| Tenant Screening | No | No |
| Compliance Document Alerts | Yes | No |
| Arrears Tracking | No | No |
Winner: RentalBux — by a decisive margin Starling Accounting has no landlord-specific features. Landlords who need tenancy tracking, rent management, multi-property allocation, HMO support, or joint ownership automation must use RentalBux, or manage these entirely outside of Starling.
Bookkeeping, Accounting & Digital Record Keeping
RentalBux: Structured Accounting
RentalBux includes a pre-built chart of accounts specifically designed for landlords and sole traders, covering rental income, mortgage interest, insurance, property repairs, professional services, utilities, and tenant deposits. All accounts are pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes. The platform supports cash basis accounting, bank reconciliation, and journal entries.
Starling Accounting: In-Bank Bookkeeping with Automatic Categorisation
Starling Accounting uses automatic transaction categorisation: every payment in or out of the Starling account is assigned a category, which can be reviewed and overridden at any time. Rules can be set up to ensure future transactions from the same payee are consistently categorised. This is a practical, low-effort approach to digital record keeping that satisfies MTD requirements for most straightforward sole traders and landlords. Receipts and invoices can be attached to individual transactions. Starling connects to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent through its free Marketplace, auto-syncing transactions in real time for users who want a fuller accounting package. However, Starling Accounting itself does not include a landlord-specific chart of accounts, journal entries, or double-entry bookkeeping — these require the external accounting integrations. Starling accounts are GBP-only; separate EUR (£2/month) and USD (£5/month) currency accounts were available previously but are currently unavailable to new customers.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Basis Accounting | Yes | Yes |
| Chart of Accounts (Pre-built, Landlord-Tailored) | Yes (pre-built + custom) | Yes |
| Journal Entries | Yes | No |
| Bank Reconciliation | Yes | Partial |
| Automated Bank Feeds | Yes (Major UK banks) | Yes |
| Open Banking Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Double-Entry Bookkeeping | Yes | No |
| HMRC Box Pre-Mapping | Yes | No |
| Xero Integration | No | Yes |
| Spreadsheet Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Record Storage | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux on accounting structure; Starling on automation and integrations — RentalBux provides a deeper accounting framework with a landlord-tailored chart of accounts, double-entry bookkeeping, and journal entries. Starling wins on automatic categorisation, real-time bank-to-accounting sync, and free connections to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent — making it more suitable for users who already rely on those tools.
Invoicing, Expense Tracking
RentalBux: Expense Management
RentalBux includes OCR receipt capture, structured expense tracking with landlord-specific categories, auto-categorisation, invoice creation with customisable branding, and payment tracking with reminders.
Starling Accounting: Free Invoicing with Auto-Matching, Running Tax Estimate, and Spaces
Starling Accounting includes free unlimited invoicing directly from the app or online banking, with invoice branding, templates, draft-saving, and automatic payment matching when money arrives in the account. A key differentiator is the running tax estimate: as transactions are categorised, Starling automatically calculates tax deductions and disallowable expenses to give a continuously updated estimate of tax owed — comparable in function to a live tax forecast. Landlords can then use Spaces — ring-fenced sub-accounts within the Starling account — to set aside money for tax, VAT, payroll, or other planned expenses at any time.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Creation & Sending | Yes | Yes |
| Invoice Customisation/Branding | Yes | Yes |
| Online Payment Collection | Yes | Partial |
| Payment Tracking/Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt Capture (OCR/Photo) | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Categorisation | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Transaction Matching | Yes | Yes |
| Mileage Tracking | No | No |
| AI Auto-Categorisation | Coming soon | Yes |
Winner: Tie — different strengths RentalBux wins on AI receipt extraction and landlord-specific expense categories. Starling wins on the running tax estimate, automatic tax deduction calculations, and Spaces — practical tools for managing tax liability throughout the year that RentalBux does not currently offer. Free invoicing is comparable across both on their respective free plans.
Reporting & Tax Forecasting
RentalBux: Formal Accounting Reports
RentalBux produces structured financial reports including profit & loss statements, balance sheets, journal reports, ledger reports, and trial balances. Smart categorisation helps ensure accuracy.
Starling Accounting: Financial Reports with Real-Time Tax Intelligence
Starling Accounting provides a notable set of reports accessible within the banking platform: a Sales, Expenses & Profit report; a Balance Sheet; and Aged Debtors and Creditors reports. These are calculated automatically from transaction categories and updated in real time. The running tax estimate, with automatically calculated deductions and disallowables, functions as a continuous tax forecast — a practical advantage over RentalBux's current offering. Starling also includes AI-powered Spending Intelligence, allowing users to query their spending habits using natural language — for example, asking how much was spent on a specific category over the tax year.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Profit & Loss Report | Yes (formal) | Yes |
| Balance Sheet | Yes | Yes |
| Trial Balance | Yes | Yes |
| Dashboard/Overview | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Financial Data | Yes | Yes |
| Cash Flow Reporting | No | Partial |
| Tax Estimate/Forecast | Yes | Yes |
| AI-Powered Features | Coming soon | Yes |
Winner: Tie — RentalBux on structure, Starling on tax intelligence — RentalBux leads on formal accounting reports including a trial balance. Starling leads on real-time tax forecasting, AI spending analysis, and automated deduction calculations — features landlords and sole traders find practically useful for planning throughout the year.
Collaboration & Mobile Apps
RentalBux's Collaborative Features
RentalBux enables agent filing, which gives accountants and letting agents the ability to submit directly on a landlord's behalf.
Starling's Collaboration Model
Starling's reporting is centred on financial intelligence derived from its bank account data. Spending analytics break down monthly outgoings by category. Spending Intelligence uses natural language queries to help business owners understand patterns. Spaces provide a visual overview of money set aside for different purposes. These are useful for daily financial awareness but are not designed for formal property portfolio reporting.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Advisor Portal | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-User Access | Yes | Limited (PSC/director only on standard account) |
| Agent Filing on Behalf | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Web Browser Access | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
Winner: RentalBux for formal agent filing and property management; Starling for banking features and accounting integrations — RentalBux has deeper built-in agent filing and multi-user property management tools. Starling offers wider accounting software integration (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent for free), FSCS protection, and 24/7 support on the free account.
Ease of Use, Support & Security
RentalBux: Guided Workflows
RentalBux uses guided workflows, clear dashboards, and no accounting jargon. The platform offers phone support, email/chat support, and a help centre with guides and knowledge base articles.
Starling's Ease of Use, Customer Support, and Security
Starling's mobile-first design is consistently praised for its simplicity and speed. The account can be opened entirely within the app in around 10 minutes, and Starling typically reviews applications within 24 hours. Instant push notifications on every transaction, visual Spaces for budgeting, and a clean interface mean most users can manage the account without guidance. Spending categories are automatically applied. For sole traders, the Starling Accounting MTD tool is embedded in the same app, so switching from banking to tax filing requires no new software.
| Feature | RentalBux | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Support | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Support | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | No |
| Help Centre/Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| FCA Regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise-Grade Security | Yes | Yes |
RentalBux Features
Sole Trader Income Support for MTD
RentalBux is one of the few landlord-focused MTD software platforms that supports self-employment income alongside UK and foreign property income within a single account. Landlords who also run a trade, consultancy, or freelance business can manage all quarterly submissions from one dashboard. Landlord Studio covers property income only.
Custom Chart of Accounts for Landlords
A property-tailored chart of accounts covering rental income, mortgage interest, insurance, repairs, utilities, letting agent fees, and more — all pre-mapped to HMRC Self-Assessment boxes. No setup required; the system is ready to use from day one. Landlord Studio has no equivalent.
Agent Filing on Behalf of Landlords
Letting agents and accountants can submit MTD quarterly updates and the Final Declaration on behalf of landlord clients directly from the platform. Landlord Studio allows accountant access but does not support submission on the landlord's behalf.
Branded Invoice Creation
Invoice creation with customisable branding for service charges and commercial landlords. Not available in Landlord Studio.
AI-Powered OCR Receipt Capture with Auto-Categorisation (Coming soon)
RentalBux's AI will read uploaded receipts and categorise the expense automatically against the pre-built chart of accounts. Landlord Studio's Smart Scan extracts dates and amounts but does not include AI-driven expense categorisation.
Formal Accounting Reports
Balance sheet, trial balance, ledger reports, and journal reports. Landlord Studio does not produce these natively.
Free Plan Including MTD Submissions Until March 2028
RentalBux's free single-property plan includes MTD quarterly submissions. Landlord Studio's free GO plan covers property management for up to three units but requires a paid PRO plan (from £12/month) to access MTD submission functionality.
Unique Features Only Starling Offers
Running Real-Time Tax Estimate with Automatic Deduction Calculations
Starling Accounting's most distinctive MTD feature: as income and expenses are categorised, the tool automatically calculates tax deductions and disallowable expenses, providing a continuously updated estimate of tax owed. This is the most sophisticated built-in tax intelligence of any in-bank MTD tool currently available — going significantly beyond a simple savings pot.
Automatic Category Rules
Users can create rules so that future transactions from a specific payee are automatically assigned a consistent category — reducing the need for repeated manual categorisation and improving accuracy over time.
Free VAT Returns to HMRC (Accounting Plus)
For VAT-registered landlords or sole traders, Starling Accounting Plus (£7/month until April 2027, then £14/month) includes MTD for VAT submissions directly to HMRC, alongside all Essentials features. This makes Starling one of very few in-bank platforms to cover both MTD for Income Tax and MTD for VAT in a single account.
Free Unlimited Invoicing on the Free Plan
Starling Accounting Essentials includes free unlimited invoicing — branded, with templates and auto payment matching — at no charge on the free account. Starling's invoicing is tightly integrated with automatic payment matching into the bank account.
Spaces — Named Tax and Expense Sub-Accounts
Spaces allow users to create named sub-accounts within their Starling account to ring-fence money for tax, VAT, payroll, specific expenses, or business goals. Unlike a simple "tax pot" percentage, Spaces are fully flexible — users can move money in and out manually or automatically, and the Bills Manager feature can automatically pay direct debits and standing orders from a designated Space.
Free Accounting Integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent)
tarling's Marketplace integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent at no cost, auto-syncing all bank transactions in real time. Most UK accountants already use one of these platforms, so this creates a seamless handoff between the landlord's banking data and their accountant's accounting software.
AI Spending Intelligence
Starling's Spending Intelligence feature allows users to query their transaction data in natural language — asking questions about spending patterns, categories, and trends across the tax year. This is built on the Ember technology acquired by Starling in 2024.
FSCS Protection Up to £120,000
As a fully licensed UK bank regulated by both the FCA and PRA, Starling provides FSCS deposit protection up to £120,000 — significantly higher than the standard £85,000 threshold noted on some sources. All business deposits are protected.
Named Best British Bank Five Consecutive Years
Starling has a consistent track record of customer satisfaction awards and is widely regarded as the UK's best free business bank account.
Who Should Choose RentalBux?
RentalBux is a strong fit if you:
Landlords with Mixed Income Streams
If you earn from both property and self-employment, RentalBux handles sole trader income alongside UK and foreign property income in a single MTD-compliant platform.
Joint Owners and Family Portfolios
The automated profit-sharing split is a standout feature. Define ownership percentages once and RentalBux calculates each owner's share automatically.
Budget-Conscious Landlords Entering MTD
Free MTD software for single-property landlords until March 2028, with no upfront commitment.
Landlords Who Want Proper Accounting Structure
Chart of accounts, journal entries, profit & loss, balance sheet, and trial balance give RentalBux a structured accounting foundation.
Accountants and Letting Agents
Agent filing on behalf, multi-user access, and spreadsheet import make RentalBux practical for professionals managing multiple landlord portfolios.
Commercial Landlords and HMO Owners
Invoice creation with branding for service charges, plus automatic HMO unit creation and tenant management.
Who Should Choose Starling Bank?
Starling Accounting is the better choice for:
Sole Traders and Landlords Already Banking with Starling
If you already use Starling as your business bank, Accounting Essentials gives you a fully integrated, HMRC-recognised MTD solution at zero additional cost — with invoicing, running tax estimates, Spaces, and accounting integrations all included.
Landlords Who Want the Best Free In-Bank Tax Estimate
Starling's running real-time tax estimate with automated deduction calculations is the most capable tax intelligence feature of any in-bank MTD tool. For landlords who want to track their likely tax liability as the year progresses — and use Spaces to set money aside — Starling offers compelling value.
VAT-Registered Sole Traders and Landlords
Starling Accounting Plus (£7/month until April 2027) covers both MTD for Income Tax and MTD for VAT in one account. Few other platforms offer both income tax and VAT MTD compliance in a single integrated tool at this price point.
Straightforward Landlords with Simple, Single-Source Income
A landlord with one or two UK properties, all income and expenses flowing through the Starling account, and no joint ownership or foreign property will find Starling Accounting an excellent, zero-cost MTD solution.
Landlords Who Already Use Xero, QuickBooks, or FreeAgent
Starling's free Marketplace integrations mean these tools are connected automatically, syncing all transactions in real time. For landlords whose accountant already uses one of these platforms, the Starling-to-accounting-software pipeline is seamless and free.
Business Owners Who Want Best-in-Class Banking Alongside MTD
Starling's free business account — with 24/7 support, Spaces, free UK transfers, invoice matching, and accounting integrations — is widely regarded as the UK's best free business bank account. Landlords who also want excellent everyday banking alongside MTD compliance will find Starling a hard combination to beat.